Three Must-Try Regional Pizzas Throughout the United States
Pizza may have gotten its start in Italy, but in the States, it took on a new life. Every region seems to have its own spin on pizza. Listed are just a few unique regional takes that you'll find throughout the country. Find your local pizzeria and take one of these delicious regional styles for a test drive!
St. Louis Style
St. Louis style–pizza is primarily known for two features. First and foremost is the presence of provel cheese. Provel is a processed cheese that is a combination of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone cheeses and has a definitive "chewy" texture. The second-most trait is the fact that St. Louis–style pizza uses an extra-thin crust. This crust is often referred to as being "cracker thin" due to the fact that it is as thin and as crispy as a cracker. Finally, one thing that is often passed over during St. Louis–style pizza discussions is the fact that the sauce has a definite sweetness to it.
Detroit Style
Detroit style is somewhat akin to a Sicilian style of pizza, but Detroit-style pizza also shares a few traits with its other Midwestern brethren, such as the Chicago deep-dish pizza. Detroit-style pizza is baked in a deep pan, and the sauce is added last, much like with Chicago-style pizza, but the Detroit style does not utilize Chicago's trademark layers. The key to a great Detroit-style pizza is the use of lard in the crust. This allows the crust a certain puffiness and flakiness that other styles lack and allows the crust itself to carmelize on the edges of the pan. This also gives the outermost layer of the crust a distinctive crunchiness.
New York Neapolitan
Although New York–style pizzas are often known for being quick and ready to go, there is a little more that goes into the construction of a New York Neapolitan. Much like the traditional New Yorker, these pies are thin and light on both cheese and sauce but are unique in that they are baked in a coal oven. The thin crust absorbs some of the soot and oil that has been used in pizzas before, giving the pizza a unique charcoal-like flavor. New York Neapolitan pizzas are also famous for their use of sugar and oil in the construct of the dough, which gives the crust a bit of extra sweetness and crispiness that you won't find in a regular New York slice.